Longing

My heart is full of inarticulate pain, And beats laboriously. Ungenial looksInvade my sanctuary. Men of gain, Wise in success, well-read in feeble books,Do not come near me now, your air is drear;'Tis winter and low skies when ye appear.

Beloved, who love beauty and love truth! Come round me; for too near ye cannot come;Make me an atmosphere with your sweet youth; Give me your souls to breathe in, a large room;Speak not a word, for see, my spirit liesHelpless and dumb; shine on me with your eyes.

White dove of David, flying overhead, Golden with sunlight on thy snowy wings,Outspeeding thee my longing thoughts have fled To find a home afar from men and things;Where in his temple, earth o'erarched with sky,God's heart to mine may speak, my heart reply.

O God of mountains, stars, and boundless spaces! O God of freedom and of joyous hearts!When thy face looketh forth from all men's faces, There will be room enough in crowded marts;Brood thou around me, and the noise is o'er;Thy universe my closet with shut door.

Heart, heart, awake! the love that loveth all Maketh a deeper calm than Horeb's cave.God in thee, can his children's folly gall? Love may be hurt, but shall not love be brave?--Thy holy silence sinks in dews of balm;Thou art my solitude, my mountain-calm.